Safety starting-crank for automobiles



D. A. AND n..w. BODIKER. SAFETY STARTING CRANK FOR AUTOMOBILES. I APPLICATION FILED MAR-22, 1920. 1 3360363, I Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- D. A. AND D. W. BODIKER.

SAFETY STARTING CRANK FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPuc mou FILED MAR.22. 1920.

1,360,363; Patented Nov. 30,1920.

Ti .5; 16' I DALLAS A. IBODIKER .ANDFDAVID w. BODIKEB, or DAYTON, OHIO.

SAFETY STARTING-CRANK ron AUTOMOBILES,

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t d N 30, 192

Application filed March 22, 1920. Serial No. 367,970.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, DALLAS A. BODIKER and DAVID Boonrnn, citizens of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Starting-Cranks for piston reaches the upper end of its stroke,

as when the spark lever has been inadvertently placed in an advanced position; An other object of the invention is to provide means of the above character which is mountable within the confines of the car, whereby the device does not alter or detract from the appearance of the automobile. Another object is to provide a safety starting crank which may be easily attached'to the engine, and without the use of special tools. Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above type which, for its operation, entails no additional effort on the part of the operator, and does not consume any power of the engine. And still another object of the invention is to provide a safety device, so constructed and arranged, that the ordinary operation of starting the engine is not interfered with. To the above ends the device is simple in construction and eflicient in operation, as shall appear from the description to follow.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the forward end of an automobile engine provided with our invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the invention proper; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a detail view of the ratchet and its splines; 8 is a side elevation of the bearing for the ratchet and sleeve; Fig. 9 is a section through the clutch and sleeve on the line 99 of Fig. l; Fig. 10 is a plan view of the pawl; and Fig. 11 is side elevation of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 represents an automobile engine provided with an under pan 2 having a bracket 3 supporting a bearing l-. The bearing tforms one of three points of suspension for the engine and, journaled therein, is the shaft -'5- of a starting crank -6. Mounted on the inner end of the shaft -5- is a clutch member 7 adapted to be placed in engagement with a pin 8 on the forward end of the engine crank shaft 9. In the present instance, the pin '8- lies within the fan pulley -10. The shaft 5isslidingly mounted, to permit the clutch to engage the pin, and a spring '26 is provided to normally hold them out of engagement; Inthe position the parts are shown in the drawings, the engine is idle or is rotating under its own power, and the starting crank is in a normal position. To start or crank the engine, the crank 6 and clutch 7 are moved toa position, with the clutch in engagement with the pin -8, and the crank is rotated in a wellknown manner. To prevent the crank kicking backward, if an explosion prematurely occurs in the engine, the following mechanism is provided. The clutch 7 is provided with an' extension or sleeve '11 having spiral slots12. The clutch is provided with a telescopic projection 23 extending into the sleeve, and together therewith, is attached to the shaft 5- by a pin 13. The slots -12- receive splines 14 on the inside of a ratchet ring 15-. The said ratchet -15- is in operative relation with a pawl 16 when the clutch 7 is in engagement with the pin 8-. The sleeve -11, the ratchet l5 and the pawl -16- are mounted in a housing or hearing 17 attached to the bracket 3- by a U-bolt --18 which passes under an extension 19- of the bearing 4. The housing 17 is provided with side flanges -20- resting on the upper edges of the bracket --3-. The said housing is held against longitudinal. movement by a pin 21. The ratchet 15 and pawl 16 are held in the housing by an annular plate -22-.

When the crank, clutch and ratchet are manually rotated in a cranking direction, the pawl l6- rides over the ratchet; but when the engine kicks backward, the pawl prevents the ratchetv rotating, with the consequence that the spiral slots -12 and the splines 14- move the clutch -7- out of engagement with the pin -8 and disengages the starting crank from the engine. During the time the clutch is being disengaged from the pin, the starting crank will receive a retrograde movement, but will be of a few degrees only, and will not be sufficient to injure the operator. The crank handle, therefore, will not be jerked out of the hand and given a complete revolution which would be liable to break the arm of the operator or injure him if such safeguard were not provided. lVhen the parts are in a normal position or that shown by full lines in the drawings, the pawl l6 is held out of engagement with the ratchet l5--- by a cam pin 2 iextending from the pawl and which is adapted to be engaged by the periphery of the clutch --7-- to elevate the pawl. This arrangement permits the starting crank to rotate or swing freely, in either direction, when the parts are in a normal posit-ion. As the parts of the invention are mounted in the forward part of the engine, the said parts are located behind the radiator -25 of the automobile and, therefore, do not detract from or alter the appearance of the machine.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In a device of the type specified, a clutch adapted to be connected to the engine of an automobile; a ratchet spirally splined to said clutch, a pawl for said ratchet; said pawl being adapted to be placed out of engagement with said ratchet by said clutch; and a crank for said clutch.

2. In a device of the type specified; a housing mounted on the end of an automobile engine; a clutch mounted in said housing and adapted to be connected to said engine; a ratchet spirally splined to said clutch; a pawl in operative relation with said ratchet, a cam pin extending from said pawl and adapted to be engaged by said clutch; and a crank for said clutch.

3. In a device of the type specified; a housing mounted on the end of an automobile engine; a clutch mounted in said housing and adapted to be connected to said engine; an extension on said clutch provided with'spiral grooves; a ratchet mounted in said housing and provided with splines received by said grooves; a pawl mounted in said housing and adapted toprevent retrograde movement of said clutch; a cam pin extending from said pawl and adapted to be engaged by said clutch when said clutch is in a normal position thereby releasing said ratchet; and a crank for said clutch.

4. In a device of the type specified; an automobile engine provided with a bracket and a bearing extension; a housing mounted in said bracket; a U-bolt attaching said housing to said bearing extension; said housing being adapted to be mounted behind the radiator of the engine; a clutch adapted to be connected to the engine; an extension provided with spiral grooves and secured to said clutch and mounted in said housing; a ratchet splined to said extension; a pawl in operative relation with said ratchet; and a crank for said clutch.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

DALLAS A. BODIKER. DAVID W. BODIKER. 

